Logan Lowery | Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal | June 17, 2018

Miss. State's secret snack led Bulldogs all the way to CWS

STARKVILLE -- It all started innocently enough, because Mississippi State designated hitter Jordan Westburg needed a snack between at-bats.

Westburg gobbled down a banana in the dugout during a Sunday doubleheader at the Tallahassee Regional on June 3. He went back for another but this time, Westburg decided to have a little fun with the fruit before having seconds.

Westburg began to use the banana as a pretend radar gun and captured the attention of ESPNU cameras.

Mississippi State opens play in Omaha, Nebraska, against Washington on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

"I think it's special," said MSU pitcher Cole Gordon. "Every year has its thing -- a quirk -- something to get you going. What Jordan did and how he's handled this is nothing but fun. It keeps us loose, gets us excited and gives us a reason to laugh in the dugout in times when it gets tense."

Westburg and his teammate have gotten creative with the banana -- wearing them like pistols in their belts, making mustaches, applying sunscreen and bug spray to them when necessary and even giving the banana a day off with a spa treatment.

The Fun Bunch

The Diamond Dogs even made out their lineup by writing their names on 10 bananas and hanging them inside the dugout.

"I'm glad that the kids are having a good time," said MSU interim head coach Gary Henderson. "I want them to be loose, confident, play on the edge and like being in the dugout. All of those things come into play."

Henderson, who pitched at Linfield College and San Diego State, admitted to his share of dugout shenanigans during his playing days. Now, he simply wants his players to have fun playing a game that is filled with failure.

"You've got to be able to have a sense of humor if you play baseball and you're in the dugout, you have to," Henderson said. "While the banana may not directly impact humor, it speaks to the fact that you want your kids loose and enjoying the environment."